By the end of The Odyssey, Odysseus can be considered a hero. Odysseus finally makes it home and regains his throne putting everything once again in its place. After defeating the odds and overcoming the obstacles put in his way, he was able to learn important lessons. He learned that while curiosity is a good trait to have it is important to know when to control it so that it does not lead to problems. One of the most important things was that he learned that hubris, while it makes him a hero, should not be displayed at all times. All the lessons learned Odysseus was able to put into effect when he returned to Ithaca. Instead of rushing in and showing of his known skills, Odysseus took the time and thought everything out. He fought of temptation and used his intelligence to get what was his back demonstrating that he is a
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up” (“Thomas A. Edison“). This quotation by Thomas Edison illustrates that giving up will not get one anywhere; along with giving up is the loser’s way out. Edison inspirational quote also reveals that mental strength is necessary to endurance and. The soldiers never gave up, and they persevered to win the war with Odysseus as their leader. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Trojan War hero Odysseus exhibits perseverance in the ten years of war and leads his men on the long journey home. Odysseus has to endure the frustrations of the war and the negligence that the gods show to him in his most desperate times. The pain he goes through exhibits his love for the special ones in his life, and it gives him the strength to make it home. Odysseus is challenged during the ten year war, but he will not give up, which proves how he is a true hero. The hero shows how he is a true hero through his actions and not his words. He continuously tricks his enemies with desirable traps that are hard to turn down,and he does not loe sites of his goals. Odysseus demonstrates arete through heroism, perseverance and, most of all, his intelligence.
Odysseus of Ithaka. Some historians have argued for years that he is a noble hero, and others say he is just a man trying to get home from many hardship and challenges, however Odysseus is the definition of a hero. During Odysseus’s journey it becomes evident that Odysseus is a hero like the legends say, he meets all the criterias of being a hero such as being brave, smart, fighting against evil, and protecting others from danger. For generations people have been correct to honor the great Odysseus, for his actions along his adventures. Although there has been some evidence that points to Odysseus not being a hero, this essay will give three reasons why Odysseus should be respected as a hero. The first reasons why Odysseus is a hero is because he risks his life for crew multiple times throughout the story.
In The Odyssey, the character Odysseus can be considered a hero because he demonstrates many characteristics that are attributable to most heroes. After the battle at Troy, Odysseus strives to sail back to his homeland (Ithaca); however, he encounters some issues along the way and Poseidon attempts to make it impossible for Odysseus to return home. At the beginning of this journey, Odysseus wants to make it back to Ithaca with all of his crew alive. This selfless goal displays Odysseus acting for the greater good because he knows that these men have families that depend on them and would like for them to come home. Along the journey home, Odysseus and his crew come across a cyclops and become trapped in the cyclops’ cave. Odysseus’ over eagerness
Odysseus is truly an epic hero, he has many different perils and dangers that he must face. He is a Greek soldier who fought in the Trojan War and is trying to return home. Some of the gods and goddesses are on his side, however, some are not on his side. He was stranded for ten years before he could finally go back to his family, and home on Ithaca. Odysseus is an epic hero because of his physical strength, his mental sharpness, and his cunning ability to always get out alive.
The hero's journey is a popular form of writing that involves a hero who embarks on an adventure, quest, or journey where in the climax they win a victory, then comes home transformed or changed. The book, “The Odyssey” is a prodigious example of the hero's journey. Odysseus is the hero of “The Odyssey”. All heroes in a hero's journey display particular traits. Odysseus displays perseverance and fortitude, two specific characteristics that all heroes should display.
The Odyssey by Homer is a book that involves the Journey of Odysseus and his men and the Obstacles they come across. The Odyssey portrays many themes including vengeance, hospitality, courage, bravery and more. Odysseus experiences some good and bad during his journey. He comes across people who help him, but also comes across creatures who hold him back. Odysseus is an Epic hero because of his quick thinking skills, bravery, and confidence for himself and his men.
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus. Odysseus defies the suitors and wins his wife and kingdom back. Despite Odysseus' overconfident nature, Odysseus proves he is a hero by showing bravery and intelligence.
Heroism, tends to be difficult to define and remarkably ambiguous in literary works. In the Odyssey, however, Homer clearly defines a hero as a humble, determined, and loyal individual; thus, according to Homer, it is not enough to claim to be a hero, but it is also important to exhibit those qualities that Homer values as heroism. Odysseus, despite claiming heroism, upholds these traits inconsistently, as seen in his taunting of Polyphemus. In contrast, Telemachus, Odysseus’ overlooked son, dramatically grows up over the course of the epic and ultimately reveals his truly heroic qualities by the end of the poem. Thus, because Odysseus claims to be a hero, but fails to remain humble, determined, and loyal throughout the epic, he is not a hero.
“The gods have tried me in a thousand ways. But my first name: let that be known to you, and if I pull away from pitiless death, friendship will blind us, though my land lies far.” In the epic poem “The Odyssey” by Homer, while traveling back from the Trojan War, Odysseus and his men were struggling to go back to their homeland safely after what they had done to the son of Poseidon. Odysseus is an epic hero because he was a great warrior, came from a noble birth and was capable of great strength and courage.
“A hero is someone who, in spite of weakness, doubt or not always knowing the answers, goes ahead and overcomes anyway” and this shows the quality of a hero that the well-known hero, Odysseus, does not have. In the novel, The Odyssey, Odysseus goes to war against the Trojans in hope to win. When Odysseus slaughters the Trojans, he starts to act like he was greater than any god. The gods punished him by stranding him at sea for more than ten years without being able to go home. Odysseus is not a hero because he was not humble or good at accepting the help that he received, and he also acted before synthesizing the consequences that he would face in the future.
Heroes in today’s literature often take on difficult challenges that put themselves in constant danger to better themselves. Joseph Campbell came out with a book in 1949 called “A Hero with a Thousand Faces” which he introduced the “Hero’s Journey” formula that Odysseus closely follows. The Odyssey is a Greek mythology following Odysseus, a Trojan War hero who faces many dangers trying to get back to his homeland of Ithaca. At his homeland of Ithaca suitors are eating out his home and trying to marry his wife while Telemachus sets out to find his father, but eventually comes back unsuccessful. Finally, Odysseus comes home and takes back his home and family. In the Odyssey, Homer
Since the beginning of time, parents have told their children stories about heroes. Heroes who fight monsters, save maidens, and return to their homes with honor. They make the hero sound so special, or brave, or kind, to inspire their children to want to be like them. Telling these types of stories is a good way to impress good morals on them. The ancient Greeks were a group of people who used a similar tactic to teach people their core values. Some of these core values were the importance of Fate, loyalty, cleverness, love for home and family, hospitality, and respect for the gods. Homer, a famous rhapsode, narrated an epic poem that showed all these values. The tale of The Odyssey is a story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home
Conclusion- Pride, curiosity and risk-taking are Odysseus’ flaws that are relatable to the common man. Odysseus is known to many as a courageous king that won the Trojan War and returned home to rule Ithaca but in order for him to complete these heroic actions he had to face many of his flaws. No one is perfect, but what makes a hero a hero is their ability to overcome their imperfection and help the people around them. What makes the Odyssey a classic is that even though it was written 2666 years ago the values of a hero portrayed in the poem can still be related to by today's
In Homer’s Epic Story The Odyssey, Odysseus shows many qualities that make him a Epic Hero. First Odysseus promises a friend that before he returns home he will go to where he died and bury him, this will put him to rest so he can go to a better place. Next when Odysseus and his men end up with Circe she turns them into pigs, he is told in order to change his men back he must lay in bed with Circe. Lastly Odysseus tricks the Cyclops by telling him his name is nobody, he did this to save his men’s lives. All of these scenarios tested him as a person and made him a hero and he went as far as to help a person move on to a better place.